how many are (ex) Boehm players?

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:50 pm

'One of the good things about being over sixty is that you have earned the right to tell the same story over and over again'

Aint' it the truth? About that orthodontist, he was the
nicest guy--kindly, good humored. His only failing was
that he was an idiot. He took out a book, Woodwind Deformities,
and showed me a picture of a man with a shortened
upper lip from flute playing. 'YOu don't want to look
like a rabbit, do you?' he said, gently....

Reminds me of an orthopaedist who advised knee surgery.
He was this kindly guy, elderly, close to retirement, in fact.
Had been an orthopaedist for forty years. He looked at me
and said: 'Son, we can't give you a new knee, but we'll
give you a better knee.' Patted me on the shoulder.

I went to another orthopaedist who said my joints
were hurting cause the muscles in my legs were too
weak to control them. 'Get on an exercise bike for
a couple of weeks' he said. I did. The pain went
away forever.

There was nothing to do surgery on.

The Mafia had a special that year--two medical professionals
for the price of one. Maybe I didn't, maybe I did.

Have I told that story before? I think so, but I can't
rightly remember, being so friggin old.

Oh, about that orthodontist....

daiv · Post by **daiv** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:29 pm

i learned the silver flute to play irish music and irish music, even though i played in the school band and even took classical lessons. all of it was to get my chops good enough for irish music.

i just got my first wooden flute and i'm glad of my experience on the boehm. since i play my silver flute with an "irish embouchure" (though i had never really played a wooden flute) it is no big deal switching. my flute is an antique, english flute and it would have been very intimidating if i had started off on it and i never would have learned how to use the keys.
even though the c natural touch is a hassle, i always use it instead of the cross fingerings because of the "classical mentality" of drilling an awkward movement until it feels natural.

Chiffed · Post by **Chiffed** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:43 am

daiv wrote:
even though the c natural touch is a hassle, i always use it instead of the cross fingerings because of the "classical mentality" of drilling an awkward movement until it feels natural.

The 'classical mentality' is a nice tool to have, though.

6 years on silver flute, never very seriously, but simple-system has got me now. I'll never go back - well, unless I go back, and then I'll have to eat my words, but that's something of a habit now, and I always thought I'd stick with bass clarinet but I can't even find it now....

flutey1 · Post by **flutey1** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 1:01 am

the mentality and the embouchure both have helped. getting a good tone on Irish flute has not been a problem at all.

C age ing · Post by **C age ing** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:52 am

Being old is good, no responsibilities. So after school cello, jazz trombone, a folk period with banjo, guitar, autoharp and mountain dulcimer, retired and took up melodeon at 68 playing with a Morris side. Then, at 69, a second hand Tipple, new Tipple, Dixon three piece and cheap Böhm. Much too much to learn all at the same time but FUN. Now trying to work out which is loudest when the flutes get the odd workout with the Morris side. The real problem is panic, with keyless fingering being used on the Böhm. Good job it is Morris, as no one notices.

Wish I'd tried woodwinds a lot earlier, any one got a baritone sax they want to give away?

Lucas · Post by **Lucas** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:25 am

I guess I'm still a Boehm player. In fact I just bought a 'new' one. My daughter is playing my Yamaha nowadays so I decided to buy myself another Boehm. I found an E.J.Albert for a mere 110 Euros. A little oil and correction of the cork and now I can say that I play the same model of flute as Sir James used to play before he went Japanese.

Luc

pandscarr · Post by **pandscarr** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:33 am

At 9, I really wanted to play the trumpet - but we had a silver flute in the family, and that was that!

I switched to oboe at 12, played that until I went off to university... and then had 30 dark years of playing nothing, until I started learning classical piano. But that was lonely, so I thought I would have a go at the whistle, which transmuted into a wooden flute after a few months (couldn't be doing with all that high shrieking!).

I was amazed at how quickly I was able to learn to play traditional flute - while I'm a good pianist, it's taken alot of hard work - which has led me to think that all of us are better suited to some instruments than others. For me, woodwind instruments come more naturally, perhaps because of playing as a child.

Pamela

Dana · Post by **Dana** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:54 am

I started on Boehm flute, and I stayed on Boehm flute.

With a little simple system flute thrown in.

Dana

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:23 am

I never could get too jazzed about most classical music, and was never moved by the flute in my early years. I found my way to it along the folk path --- guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle. Started playing fiddle tunes on fife and whistle, and that was aggravating my tinnitus. Having played fife and whistle, I'm finding the flute is coming pretty easily. (Of all of them, fiddle was the one that refused to be tamed. But it's not over til it's over!!!)

Jim Troy · Post by **Jim Troy** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:33 am

i like that expression " Boehmish "

" i thought Jonjo's playing of that last tune was a fairly urgent , if just a little Boehmish "

iv'e gone Boehmish myself , in the last year or so . i got a lovely John James from my teacher , the holed keyed type.(ed;the flute , not my teacher ) and i like the bottom C availability on it for stuff like Sport of the Chase .
the cross over from one to the other , the F# thing , is a little like changing over to gear shift from automatic , complete with the crunching noises , but when you open it up on the straight ..
am now looking forward to that low C on my Hammy , arriving in January .
he says there will be a major crunch , in my wallet .

primenumber321 · Post by **primenumber321** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:35 pm

I wouldn't say 'ex'.....

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:45 pm

No! Shiny flutes are for girls!

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:58 pm

Congratulations wrote:No! Shiny flutes are for girls!

This ain't no girly flute - is it dull enough for you?: http://www.abellflute.com/theabellflute.html

Loren

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:02 pm

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:05 pm

Loren wrote:
Congratulations wrote:No! Shiny flutes are for girls!

This ain't no girly flute - is it dull enough for you?: http://www.abellflute.com/theabellflute.html

That one's alright I guess.

Denny wrote:

Oh, well it looks good on him, you know.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

how many are (ex) Boehm players?

Still am